My Spa Day

Today was the day that I used my gift certificates for the spa. I brought my Mom with me. It was very nice, and relaxing. I started off with a 1 hour massage, then had a pedicure and a manicure. I had the same girl for the pedicure and manicure, during the manicure however...she made me cry. In a VERY good way. I had noticed that she was wearing a diamond ring on her left hand ring finger and asked her if it was an engagement ring. She said it was and as we got talking we ended up on the topic of religion. I told her that I was a pastors daughter, and found out that she attends the First Alliance church in Calgary. She then went on to tell me her testimony. I won't remember it word for word, but here's the gist of it...
She grew up in Iran. Her family was Muslim. Her mom and her sister became Christians first. She said that she was very upset with her mom and cried for days because she feared that her mom and sister were going to hell. The Muslims (as in any religion) believe that being a Muslim is the only way to get into heaven. She was married to a Muslim man (this girl seemed to be no more than 20 years old by the way) and I'm pretty sure she said that they had come to Canada. Then her and her husband returned to Iran and her husband would not let her leave. He stole her documents and hid them on her. He beat her, breaking her ribs. When she tried to leave him telling the court that he'd beaten her and stolen her documents, she was told that unless she was near death there was nothing they could do for her. In the mean time her family is still in Canada, her Dad was trying to figure out a way to get her out. She's still a Muslim at this point. She said that she started having these dreams. Jesus was in her dreams telling her not to be afraid and to trust in him. Back in Canada, her mom went to church one Sunday and prayed saying that she forgave her son-in-law, then asked that her daughter would be returned to her. The VERY next Sunday she was sitting beside her mom in Church in Canada. Isn't that amazing. What an awesome God we serve. She has now been a christian for about 2 years.
A few days ago, I watched the movie "Not Without my Daughter" with Jon's family (which is a movie about an American woman that married a Muslim man and was held against her will in Iran by her husband). Growing up in Canada it's hard to fathom that things like this can actually go on in other parts of the world. To actually meet someone who was saved from a situation like that by the grace of God, is astounding. She's such a wonderful young woman. I'll be keeping her and her family in my prayers. She still has some family in Iran that they're trying to get over to Canada.